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Para Ordanance Warranty

I own several Para 1911's. I have a Nite Hawg, a full size, and a LTC, which is the 4.25 length barrel. I bought the LTC to open carry. I ran about 50 rounds through the gun and broke it down to clean it. When trying to reinstall the slide, the plunger lever, a small piece attached to the trigger, would not let the slide move fully to the rear. I sent it back to Para, and after 3 weeks I called to find out where my gun was. They said they need $75 to repair it. I said it was under warranty, they said I broke it. I just want to give everyone a heads up about their lifetime warranty, I do not think it exist. I have a Keltec P11, had a problem with the follower in the magazine, they sent me a magazine out the day I called. No cost for shipping or the magazine. Warranties are only as good as the company and Para seems not to keep their word.

Hmm...how do you plan to pursue it? Maybe if they get enough pressure they will rectify the situation.

Did they say how you supposedly broke it?

"It appeared to them (service department) that I pushed the slide back while the plunger was up". I said ok, but it should not be up during reassembly and I could not push it down. I talked to the service manager and got no satisfaction. As soon as it comes back, I will sell all 3 and buy a Sig 1911, Taurus 1911 and a S&W 1911. I have plenty of Colts. The money is not the real issue for me, even though I don't wish to pay for product defect, it is being told I broke it. They just will not honor their promise to repair the weapon as long as I own it if a defect exist. Their warranty is therefore worthless.

If you haven't done so, call and ask to speak with a manager. Inform them of the problem and how your offended by how the employee assumed you was at fault when you had no control over the issue. I would also inform them of your previous purchases and if they don't want to lose business they need to rectify the situation. Would they rather eat the price of the part, or the whole price of a future sell? I always find it works well to always get an employees name and tell them you want to speak to management, and they will normally fix it even if it was something you done.!! Haha.

+1 to KYGlockster. It seems silly that they want to argue with you over a part when a) they have a lifetime guarantee, b) you own multiple 1911s and know how to take them apart, and c) you've been a loyal Para customer.

"When seconds count between living or dying, the police are only minutes away."

The service manager is who I spoke too. Just basically told me to pound salt. After looking through several sites, it seems to be their modus operandi. I just will not due business with a company that will not hold up their end of an agreement. I just want everyone here to know my experience so that you can make a purchase based on fact rather than their fallacy.

All of this worries me because my brother-in-law just bought a para right before christmas. I really hope that he doesn't run into problems (I'd be right if he does) because he would be out a lot of money. He has already had to buy a new barrel bushing for it, something about a burr on the slide eating it up.

I'm sure glad you have informed us of this, especially since you talked to a manager and they
Basically said to shove it. I was getting ready to buy a 14•45, but I do believe you have changed my mind. Thanks for saving me a hassle

I'm sure glad you have informed us of this, especially since you talked to a manager and they
Basically said to shove it. I was getting ready to buy a 14•45, but I do believe you have changed my mind. Thanks for saving me a hassle

KYGlockster, look at the Taurus 1911. Well built, shoots like a dream. I have a close friend who bought one and you can drive nails with it. I love the feel of a 1911 but I will never have another PARA product.

I thought I was done with Para, until a few moments ago. I called to find out where my LTC was and Doug answered said I had not paid for the repair. I told him to look again, because they had charged my credit card on February 2, 2012. I was on hold for 5 minutes and 15 seconds when he comes back and tells me that the accounting department did not forward the information to the service department. Again, what lousy customer service. Not even an apology for their mistake. Know who you are doing business with, it can bite you if you do not.

I own a para myself. Just got it alittle more then a month ago and im really hoping I have no problems with it. Sounds like a pain to get anything fixed. Your post would of been helpfull a few months ago.

Or, more precisely, find out who is the senior executive over sales, and mail or e-mail him a link to this thread. Nothing will get a service department's butt in gear like an angry sales staff who sees their sales and commissions negatively affected by bad service after the sale.

Or, more precisely, find out who is the senior executive over sales, and mail or e-mail him a link to this thread. Nothing will get a service department's butt in gear like an angry sales staff who sees their sales and commissions negatively affected by bad service after the sale.

You can also hunt up their regional sales reps and do the same thing.

This is good advice, they can bet that we have not finished buying all the firearms we will ever have. Most of us would buy a firearm everyday if we had the money. And it is a HUGE negative mark against para when one of our own has a bad experience with it.

Or, more precisely, find out who is the senior executive over sales, and mail or e-mail him a link to this thread. Nothing will get a service department's butt in gear like an angry sales staff who sees their sales and commissions negatively affected by bad service after the sale.

You can also hunt up their regional sales reps and do the same thing.

I have sent 2 emails and no one has answered. Your suggestion is very good and I believe I will do as suggested. Thanks

[QUOTE=gutshot;1697562]If you go to the Para website and register for the Para Owners Association (PAO) and post the same information you posted here you might get some assistance with this, even now. I did this with my problem and some of the members chimed in and suggested solutions. Some of them were very helpful.

Thanks Gutshot. I have not joined yet, but I will this weekend. I need to meet with you at some time in the future and discuss things with you. I want to pick your brain on some topics.

One more time

Ok everyone, one more post on this boring topic. I called Para to find out where my 1911 was. It is still there and this time they tell me they found out last Monday that the frame is out of specification and would need to replace the frame and the slide. They have no royal blues available. I told them to use a black frame. Long story short, the worst customer service I have had from anyone.

They received the weapon on January 4 and I paid for the original repair on January 16. I have talked to them 3 times between Jan. 16th and Feb. 9th. I was told today when I called that they were trying to get a frame and slide from production. I asked them to just send a new 1911 and was told they want to attempt repair first. Again, worst customer service in the world. By the way Gutshot, thanks for the heads up on Cochise Stronghold, that was a sight to see.

hotrod, I appreciate you posting your experience with Para. Im contemplating buying a P-12 and will do some more searching on that model and past problems with that model.

On a side note, I went to the NRA convention in Pittsburgh last year and spoke with the Para Ordnance guys at their booth.
They were helpful, but one of them working there didn't seem to know much about the product.
The other guy working the Para booth was knowledgeable.

What bothers me most is: These are firearms we are dealing with. Not toys for kids.
With the firearms we buy we put our lives on the line with them and granted, nothing mechanical can be expected to have flawless operation 100% of the time.
But when one of our firearms does break, it needs to be treated with the utmost care and professionalism.
I have never had to send my Sig's back, but did once send my Glock 19 for some work. It was handled very quickly and never got a run around from CS.
I understand that PO is a much smaller operation than Glock. But Customer Service for any business should be the top priority.

This seems to be a trend with Para. Do yourself a favor and get a Rock Island Armory. I have heard nothing but good about their customer service - but I've never had to use it

Taurus also has a lifetime warranty that they have honored time and time again, which is good because half of their guns will arrive broken in the box.

Ex-taurus customer - warranty was great with a fast turn around, unfortunately I had to use it on half of the new in box guns I bought. I have this mental image of a warehouse in Brazil with chimpanzees just throwing parts into guns and shipping them off. Literally, monkeys and orangutangs fitting critical parts like sears and hammers into 1911s.

Last edited by Schlitz; 02-20-2012 at 10:32 PM.

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Ex-taurus customer - warranty was great with a fast turn around, unfortunately I had to use it on half of the new in box guns I bought. I have this mental image of a warehouse in Brazil with chimpanzees just throwing parts into guns and shipping them off. Literally, monkeys and orangutangs fitting critical parts like sears and hammers into 1911s.

I know this is a Para thread, but can't help mentioning that my experience parallels Schlitz on Taurus guns. With one exception--not half. All. 100%. Now, granted its only been two hand guns. But, they are two-for-two needing immediate return to the factory. Came out of the box that way.

My Para shipped today. I have $179.26 in shipping and repair for a handgun that was under warranty. Tells me I will never buy another Para Ordnance. It has been as bad an experience as I have ever had.